The island’s gambling regulator has suspended the licences of two companies amid an ongoing criminal investigation.
In a public statement, the Gambling Supervision Commission said it had taken the decision to suspend the licences of King Gaming Ltd and Dalmine Ltd.
It said it was aware an ongoing criminal investigation into the two companies which are both regulated by the Commission.
Planning consent for a major ‘parkland campus’ to house the headquarters of King Gaming was approved in July last year.
It was described as the ‘largest single private investment in the Isle of Man’ and would create around 300 jobs, with 100 or so of the company’s workforce to be housed at the Victoria Road site in Douglas.
Building work continues on the development which is on the site of the former Cunningham’s holiday camp.
King Gaming’s registered office is currently based on Bucks Road and the company also operates from premises in the The Summerhill Business Park. Dalmine is based at the same address on Bucks Road.
In its statement, the Gambling Supervision Commission said: ‘The Commission is aware of an ongoing criminal investigation into companies which are regulated by the Commission.
‘The Commission, in fulfilment of its regulatory objectives, has taken the decision to suspend the licences, pending a regulatory review.
‘The Commission continues to assist its partner agencies in this matter.
‘As this matter is subject to an ongoing criminal investigation, the Commission is unable to offer any further comment at this time.’
KGL, which describes itself as providing ‘a wide variety of online sports, casino, lottery products for our customers’, was incorporated in the island in 2017.
The development on Victoria Road is billed as an ‘iconic international headquarters in a parkland setting’.
In addition to the headquarters office, the parkland campus is proposed to feature 66 residential apartments for staff, a restaurant, cafe, working areas and gym/mindfulness area.
Isle of Man Enterprises, the owner of Shoprite, sold the land to King Gaming.
Planning consent for the development was given to Jade Tree Ltd in May 2022 but Isle of Man Enterprises appealed.
It said it had welcomed development on the vacant site but was opposed to the specific plans on the grounds of ‘inadequate parking, road safety, flood risks, loss of trees and the impact on heritage’.